Shettima flags off women’s business support fund in Katsina as govt approves additional N4bn

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday flagged off the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund under the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU) in Katsina State.

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Speaking at the ceremony at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina, Mr Shettima said more than 40,000 women in the state were expected to receive business capital after meeting the programme’s eligibility requirements and demonstrating satisfactory performance in savings and group activities.

Governor Dikko Radda said Katsina State had so far contributed more than N4 billion to the programme, while the State Executive Council approved another N4 billion last month.

“Katsina State is matching every dollar that is given by the World Bank to support the women in the state,” Mr Radda said.

“So far, Katsina State has contributed over four billion (naira) for this project and approval last month of another four billion was done by the Executive Council of the state.”

**Women Affinity Group members at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium**

The Community Investment Fund provides financing to women organised under Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) to establish or expand businesses and undertake other income-generating activities.

Mr Shettima said the intervention was aimed at improving women’s access to capital and strengthening household incomes.

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He said financing alone would not guarantee sustainable businesses and urged beneficiaries to retain the savings discipline and record-keeping practices required under the programme.

“We should ask whether businesses become stronger, household earnings improve, and additional work becomes available,” he said.

The vice president also urged officials administering the fund to ensure that eligibility, rather than favouritism or political considerations, determined access.

“A beneficiary should understand what she receives and how the process works. Each transaction should be properly documented and questions should receive prompt answers,” he said.

Mr Radda said implementation was beginning in Katsina, Funtua and Daura local government areas.

He said the state government had expanded the programme to six additional LGAs and intended to increase funding further to cover the remaining local governments in the state.

The governor said Sunday’s flag-off marked the beginning of the disbursement rather than the end of the process.

“Women Affinity Groups that are not receiving their grants today should remain confident that the process will continue,” he said.

“All eligible groups will be considered for support as they mature and satisfy the programme’s established requirements.”

Mr Radda appealed to the World Bank and other development partners for additional financing and technical support to enable the state to extend the intervention to more women across its 34 LGAs.

He also highlighted the participation of women with hearing impairments who had formed their own Women Affinity Groups.

The governor said persons with disabilities should have equal access to economic programmes and urged beneficiaries to invest the funds in viable businesses, maintain proper records and continue saving through their groups.

World Bank cites economic gains

A World Bank representative, Matthew Verghis, said reducing gender gaps in agriculture, self-employment and wage employment could add $22.9 billion to Nigeria’s economy, equivalent to about 5.8 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“This gives us a clear message: investing in women is investing in Nigeria’s economic growth,” he said.

Mr Verghis said the $540 million Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up was being implemented across 32 states and was targeting five million women directly, with millions more expected to benefit indirectly.

He said the programme was also projected to support the creation of about 4.5 million jobs.

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According to him, participating women across the programme have saved more than N20 billion of their own money through their groups.

Mr Verghis said Katsina’s commitment to match investments under the programme with state resources had provided a basis for expanding its coverage.

He urged banks, technology companies and other businesses to regard Women Affinity Groups as potential customers, suppliers and business partners rather than merely beneficiaries of public support.

“The ultimate objective is not perpetual dependence on public or donor financing,” he said. “The objective is to help women build viable and growing businesses that can access finance, compete in markets, create jobs and stand on their own.”

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Malumfashi, said women in Katsina and Daura LGAs had formed more than 2,393 Women Affinity Groups, while Funtua had also recorded further group formation.

She said participating women had collectively saved more than N310 million.

The commissioner urged beneficiaries to use the funds for their businesses and continue saving through their groups.

Mr Shettima was in Katsina on a one-day official visit during which he also inaugurated road projects and launched mass-transit vehicles provided by the state government.